By Angela Laury Shaw
Food safety is important to everyone who purchases groceries. With rising concerns and risk of food borne illness from fresh fruits and vegetables and increased interest in local food options, what about the safety of food purchased at farmers markets, restaurants and other institutions?
During National Farmers Market week, Aug. 2-8, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach reminds farmers market vendors and managers to take the free online Food Safety Training designed specifically for them. Farmers considering retail food sales to grocers, restaurants, hospitals and other institutions should take the in-depth Good Agricultural Practices training. Nine GAP workshops will be offered this fall and winter at various locations throughout the state.
“Producers investing in GAP training demonstrate their commitment to their customers,” said Angela Shaw, assistant professor in food science and human nutrition and extension specialist in food safety at Iowa State University.
“With the local food movement becoming so prevalent at Iowa farmers markets, restaurants and large institutions, vendors need to know the importance of assuring customers that they are selling safe food. Further, many of these places that serve food to Iowans away from home may request some type of food safety assurance – completion of GAP training provides this assurance to the foodservice,” said Shaw.
ISU Extension and Outreach offers three types of workshops addressing GAP and information about what is needed to sell to retail foodservices. A certificate of completion is given at the end of the workshop, providing documentation that a producer has taken the training.
- Level 1 GAP workshops are for growers who provide food to consumers through community-supported agriculture or farmers markets, or are considering retail foodservice sales. Training covers good agricultural practices and market considerations.
- Level 2 GAP workshops guide farmers in the development of a written farm food safety plan. The workshops will help farmers considering sales to retail foodservices such as grocers, restaurants, hospitals and other institutions, as well as those interested in adding value to fresh produce and selling products in a convenience form. After completing the workshops, participants will have the tools to demonstrate GAPs are in place and will be able to offer food safety assurances to buyers.
- Iowa MarketReady Training is for local food producers (fruit, vegetable, meat, dairy, eggs and value-added products) who currently sell their products direct to consumers (farmers markets, CSA, roadside stands, etc.) and are looking to scale up to wholesale marketing to restaurants, grocery stores and institutions. It is not intended for beginning or “want-to-be” local producers. This workshop is adapted with permission from the University of Kentucky MarketReady program. MarketReady training includes a panel of produce buyers from local grocery stores and chefs from local restaurants or institutional foodservices.
The three workshops will be offered on the dates and locations listed below:
Hawkeye Community College, 1501 E. Orange Rd., Waterloo, Iowa
- MarketReady – Nov. 23, 2015
- Level 1 – Nov. 30, 2015
- Level 2 – Dec. 7, 2015
Location TBA, Creston, Iowa
- MarketReady – Jan. 28, 2016
- Level 1 – Feb. 4, 2016
- Level 2 – Feb. 11, 2016
ISU Extension and Outreach Davis County Office, 402 E. North St., Bloomfield, Iowa
- MarketReady – Feb. 25, 2016
- Level 1 – March 3, 2016
- Level 2 – March 10, 2016
Cost for an individual workshop is $55, however, discounts are offered to multiple-level participation for same-farm operators. To register or for more information, contact Angela Shaw at 515-294-0868 or angelaml@iastate.edu.
ISU Extension and Outreach faculty and specialists instructing the workshops include Angela Shaw, food safety; Catherine Strohbehn, food safety and local foods systems; and Linda Naeve, value added agriculture. The workshops are funded through a grant from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Services Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Source:iastate.edu